TLR4-mediated pro-inflammatory dendritic cell differentiation in humans requires the combined action of MyD88 and TRIF.

TLR4 ligation can activate both the MyD88 and the Toll-IL-1 receptor domain-containing adaptor inducing IFN-β (TRIF) signaling route. Whereas MyD88 is generally recognized as a universal adaptor for pro-inflammatory responses, TRIF is mainly thought to contribute to specific type I IFN responses. Here, we investigated the contribution of both MyD88 and TRIF to TLR4-mediated pro-inflammatory dendritic cell (DC) differentiation in human.

The clinical grade maturation cocktail monophosphoryl lipid A plus IFNgamma generates monocyte-derived dendritic cells with the capacity to migrate and induce Th1 polarization.

Ex vivo generated monocyte-derived dendritic cells (DCs) are used as a cellular vaccine against cancer in clinical trials. In order to be able to induce an efficient tumour-specific CTL response during immunotherapy, DCs have to be able to migrate to the lymph node and produce the Th1 polarizing cytokine, IL-12p70, upon encounter of T cells in the lymph node. However, most clinically used DCs do not produce IL-12p70 upon T cell contact.

Generation of dendritic cells for immunotherapy is minimally impaired by granulocytes in the monocyte preparation.

The growing number of clinical studies, using monocyte-derived DC therapy, requires protocols where a sufficient number of dendritic cell (DCs) are produced according to current Good Manufacturing Practice guidelines. Therefore, a closed culture system for the generation of DCs is inevitable. One cost-effective way to isolate monocytes directly from leukapheresis material in a closed system is by elutriation with the Elutra cell separation system.

The major grass pollen group 5 allergen from Dactylis glomerata and its C-terminal split product both behave as dimers: implications for allergen standardization.

Background: On SDS-PAGE grass pollen group-5 allergens migrate as a doublet with an apparent molecular mass (M(r)) of 25 kDa. Immunoblot analysis revealed additional group 5 reactivity at double and half this M(r). The aim of this study was to investigate these group 5 molecular entities and to compare their allergenicity and behavior in quantitative immunoassays.